5 Reasons for Brown Toilet Water & How to Remove It

Nothing will confuse you more than lifting your toilet seat to find a bowl full of brown toilet water. It’s easy to think it’s just a forgotten flush, but often, the issue runs deeper.

For those relying on local tap water or private wells, the quality of your water is essential. Brown toilet water isn’t just an eyesore – it can be a sign of underlying problems that might affect your entire household.

So, what causes brown toilet water?

Rusted pipes are the most common cause of brown toilet water. Other issues, such as a polluted municipal water supply or even corroded wells, can also turn toilet water brown.

Here, we’ll break down the most common reasons for brown toilet water and offer practical solutions to address the issue.

Before we do a deep dive, here’s a brief overview of what might cause brown toilet water:

Why is My Toilet Water Brown?

Here are five common reasons why your toilet water is brown:

1. An unclean toilet
2. Rust pipes
3. Clogged pipes
4. Corroded wells
5. Excess contaminants/mineral buildup

1. An Unclean Toilet Can Discolor the Water

If you’ve noticed brown water in your toilet, the first thing to check is whether your toilet needs a good cleaning. Going days, weeks, or even months without properly cleaning the toilet bowl can lead to brown deposits and mold growth. Thankfully, the solution here is pretty simple.

Grab a toilet brush and a bathroom cleaner, and start scrubbing. Pay special attention to the rim where the water flows into the bowl. If your toilet water goes from brown to clear, then you’ve solved the problem.

According to a survey conducted by the Cleaning Institute, toilet cleaning is the most disliked chore, but it’s essential to clean your toilet regularly to avoid issues like this.

Don’t let the task overwhelm you. Regular maintenance will keep your toilet clean and your water clear, ensuring that your bathroom remains a pleasant place.

2. Clogged Pipes Can Cause Brown Toilet Water

A clog in your toilet’s pipes might be another reason for brown water. Things like toilet paper, waste that’s tough to break down, flushable wipes, and residues that accumulate over the years can cause clogs.

Identifying a clog is usually easy. If other toilets in your home have clear water, you can quickly eliminate clogged pipes as the cause.

However, if you notice changes in water flow, strange smells, or slow draining, your pipes might be clogged.

If clogged pipes are indeed the case, the issue needs to be dealt with quickly because the pressure in a water pipe can build up, leading to cracks or breaks. Then, you’ll have more than just a brown toilet water problem.

More often than not, dealing with a clogged pipe will require the services of a professional plumber. They will probably use a “snake” (a thick, long, flexible wire that can navigate through every kind of drain and pipe) or a pipe camera to locate and remove the blockage.

However, if the clog is too close to your toilet, you might be able to simply plunge it. Give it a few vigorous plunges, but if that doesn’t work, it’s time to call a plumber. Acting fast can save you from bigger headaches down the line.

3. Rusty Pipes is a Common Reason for Brown Toilet Water

If the water in your toilet is brown, it’s important to check if it’s just your toilet or if it affects other faucets too. Brown water coming from your bathroom sink, shower, and kitchen faucet could point to rusty pipes.

Rusty pipes, more specifically, the high levels of iron buildup in them, are easily one of the most common reasons behind this ordeal. However, identifying which pipes are rusty might be a bit difficult.

The first step is to consider the age of your house. Older homes, especially those built before the 1960s, often have metal pipes like copper, cast iron, and galvanized steel that can rust over time.

Getting an idea of the age of a house’s plumbing is something you should always ask before buying. Calling a plumber to look at things outside of the regular home inspection could save you more money in the long run.

To address this, start by flushing your pipes. Turn on the cold water in several faucets and let them run for 5 to 10 minutes. If the water clears up, you’ve likely flushed out the rust. If the problem persists, you may need to call a plumber. The solution will probably be an expensive one: changing the whole plumbing system.

In some cases, the rust might not be from your home’s pipes but from the municipal water supply. If your neighbors are suffering from the same problem, contact the local water authority to report the issue. They can inspect and address problems in the city’s water system.

4. Corroded Wells Can Affect the Water Color

If your water comes from a well and you’re seeing brown water in your toilet and faucets, the problem might be rust or corrosion in the well itself. To check this, take a water sample from the well and look for common signs of brown well water such as dust, sediment buildup, or thick, slimy water.

If the well is the source of the problem, it’s a good idea to call a water treatment specialist. They can help you figure out what’s wrong and recommend the best course of action.

It’s also vital to test your well water to ensure it meets the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) regulations. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that 23 million homes in America are serviced by private wells, whose homeowners are responsible for their maintenance.

While there is no official government guidance on wells, the EPA provides several resources to help well owners keep their water safe for drinking and general use.

Treating and filtering your well water is often the simplest solution. Well water, like pool water, needs regular treatment because it comes from groundwater. Chlorination is a common treatment method, but it might leave the water with a strange taste and smell, which means you’ll need to filter out the chlorine afterward. Other treatment options include using ultraviolet lights or electronic radiation to remove particles that cause rust and stains. The treated water should always be run through a filter, specifically, one that is designed for well water, such as the Springwell Well Water Filter.

5. Excess Minerals/Contaminants in the Water

Sometimes, the brown color in your toilet is due to an excess of minerals.

The first potential culprit could be iron. Iron isn’t necessarily bad for your health, considering it’s a nutrient that helps move oxygen through your blood. However, as little as 0.3 mg of it can turn your water brown.

High levels of iron can also give your water a metallic taste and leave a brown, sticky residue inside your toilet tank and bowl. This residue can lead to bigger issues like clogs and corrosion if not addressed.

Other minerals, like manganese and calcium, can combine with oxygen to discolor your water. To find out if minerals are the problem, get a water testing kit, which you can buy online. This will help you identify the minerals and contaminants in your water.

Once you know what’s in your water, you can plan to deal with it. An easy at-home method is using white vinegar. Soak your toilet bowl, tank, and toilet parts in white vinegar overnight to break down mineral buildup.

If the problem persists, you might need a more comprehensive solution like a water softener or a filtration system designed to remove these minerals.

Conclusion

Brown toilet water can be alarming, but understanding the causes can help you deal with it.

An unclean toilet bowl, clogged pipes, rusty plumbing, a corroded well, or excess minerals in the water supply might all be responsible for this unpleasant occurrence.

Regular cleaning, decent plunging, chlorination, or setting up a whole-house water filtration system are the best solutions to these issues. There are also cases that might require you to change the whole plumbing or seek the help of professionals.